Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

• Prime Minister's plan to visit Myanmar

If circumstances permit, Prime Minister Abe is scheduled to make an official visit to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar from May 24 to 26, during which a Japan-Myanmar summit meeting is scheduled to be held with President Thein Sein. During the visit, which is the first by a Japanese Prime Minister in 36 years, the Prime Minister will aim to further strengthen relations between Japan and Myanmar, which have remained positive over the course of many years to date, through assistance for the reforms being implemented by Myanmar. In conjunction with the Prime Minister's visit representatives from a wide range of fields, including the business world, are also scheduled to visit Myanmar. The Government hopes that this visit will contribute to the further development of Japan-Myanmar relations in a variety of fields.

Q&As

• Japan-North Korea relations
• The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction
• Prime Minister's visit to Myanmar
• Japan-China-ROK trilateral summit
• The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights' request to Japan regarding the comfort women issue and the tuition waiver for North Korean high schools in Japan

REPORTER: I have a question concerning North Korea. In the recent Diet Cabinet Affairs Committee you stated that the Government would seek out all possibilities to resolve the abduction issue. Is the restarting of Japan-North Korea intergovernmental consultations considered as an option in this regard?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As the Government is seeking out all possibilities, then naturally, yes, the restarting of intergovernmental consultations would be considered as an option.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: So would such intergovernmental consultations be implemented through the diplomatic channels of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I noted in my responses to questions in the Diet, the Prime Minister is the highest officer in national politics and it is based on his strong will to resolve the abduction issue that efforts are being taken forward. Therefore, when seeking out all possibilities, this would include consultations with North Korea.

REPORTER: On a related note, according to some press reports there is a possibility that Japan-North Korea consultations could take place in Mongolia. What is the current status concerning considerations about the location for consolations?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am not aware of any such plans.

REPORTER: Regarding the decision to request Special Advisor to the Cabinet Isao Iijima to visit North Korea, in your recent responses to questions in the Diet Cabinet Affairs Committee you stated that it was your decision, which was then approved by the Prime Minister, making it clear that the visit was decided on the initiative of the Prime Minister's Office. Could you confirm this once more?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to avoid talking about the specific way in which the visit was decided but the fact is that I made a decision, which was then approved by the Prime Minister, for Mr. Iijima to visit North Korea.

REPORTER: I have a question about the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the Hague Convention). Today the ratification of the Hague Convention was approved and passed by the House of Councillors. Can I ask for your reaction to its approval and ask whether we can expect Japan to accede to the convention this year?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Today the plenary session of the House of Councillors unanimously voted to approve the ratification of the Hague Convention. I would like to welcome sincerely the approval that we have obtained from the Diet. The draft bill for the implementation of the convention is currently being deliberated by the House of Councillors and the Government hopes that the draft bill will be approved and passed in the near future.

REPORTER: I have a question that may or may not be related to the visit to Myanmar that you mentioned in your opening statement. The schedule for the visit is from May 24 to 26, which were the dates that were anticipated for the holding of the Japan-China-Republic of Korea (ROK) trilateral summit. What are the prospects for such a summit meeting and has any notification been received from the Government of the ROK that the summit has been cancelled?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As this matter relates to diplomatic interactions I would like to refrain from making any specific comment. Whatever the case, the Japan-China-ROK trilateral summit is of great importance. Arrangements for the summit are being made by the ROK, which is chairing the process this year, and I believe that arrangements are ongoing. Today I have announced the Prime Minister's visit to Myanmar and the schedule for a trilateral summit has yet to be decided.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Given that the dates originally scheduled for the Japan-China-ROK trilateral summit are now being allocated for a visit to Myanmar, could you tell us the reasons why Myanmar was selected and what are the aims of the visit?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I noted in my opening statement, Myanmar is currently in the global spotlight, including with regard to economic matters, and there are great expectations for its further development. Given that a Japanese Prime Minister has not visited Myanmar in 36 years and that leaders of other countries have visited Myanmar in succession, the decision was made for the Prime Minister to make a visit with the aim of further strengthening Japan-Myanmar relations.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has issued a request to Japan to prevent hate speech concerning former military "comfort women," which is being propagated by certain groups in Japan. Can I ask for your view on this matter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I have stated the Government's position with regard to the "comfort women" issue on frequent occasions in this press conference and in responses to Diet questions. Our basic stance is to continue to make efforts to explain our position in such forums as the U.N. committee and gain understanding about the Government's response to this issue.

REPORTER: It has been reported that the same U.N. committee has also requested that improvements be made with regard to the exemption of the tuition waiver for North Korean high schools in Japan, and encouraged the Government to adopt comprehensive legislation on non-discrimination. What are your views on these points?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am aware of the reports, but I am not fully acquainted with the specific observations that have been made. However, with regard to the tuition waiver for North Korean high schools in Japan, given that there is still no solid evidence that these schools are being run appropriately and in compliance with the laws of Japan, and as the waiver currently does not have the public's understanding due to the lack of progress made on the abduction issue and the schools' close relationship with the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, a decision was made to exempt such schools from the tuition waiver. Therefore, if these North Korean schools were to become schools that receive approval from prefectural governors and are run in accordance with the School Education Act, they would naturally be eligible for the tuition waiver program. Under the current system, North Korean residents in Japan who attend high schools that are run in accordance with the School Education Act are eligible for the tuition waiver. Therefore I do not believe that the observation you have mentioned applies to the case of the tuition waiver, because it is not being implemented based on judgments relating to students' ethnicity.